State Duma not to make opportunistic decisions in connection with Podolsk road accident

First deputy chairman of Duma committee for constitutional legislation and state development Vyacheslav Lysakov said the State Duma has already taken the necessary measures

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MOSCOW, July 15 (Itar-Tass) - The State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament does not intend to make any opportunistic decisions in connection with the fatal road accident near Podolsk, Moscow region, in which 18 people were killed, first deputy chairman of the house committee for constitutional legislation and state development Vyacheslav Lysakov said in comments on the mass media reports alleging amendments to the legislation.

"The State Duma has already taken the necessary measures. There is no need to think better of it, in connection with the terrible tragedy near Podolsk," he said.

Firstly, the president signed the law committing the foreign drivers to obtain Russian driving licenses. "This law is phased in from November 2013 and May 2014. It envisions retraining of drivers for Russian driving licenses, and a ban on getting a driver's job without Russian licenses, the lawmaker explained.

In addition, the Federation Council upper house of the Russian parliament has approved the law which toughens penalties for violation of traffic rules. This law regulates the situation with expired transit license plates. "Reoffending, as in the Podolsk case, is punished by a fine of 5,000 roubles, and suspension of driving license for three months. You don't want to invent anything new here," Lysakov said.

He called for licensing cargo transportation. "If we had there norms operating, the tragedy such as the one that happened over the weekend, could have been avoided," he said.

Citing members of the house committee for transport, the newspaper Izvestia reported that a bill was now under expert examination which could prevent many car accidents. It addresses the issue of driving licenses issued in other countries. Such licenses will need obligatory replacement with Russian licenses in the near future.

"The bill commits the drivers who have permanent jobs, to own a Russian driving license," first deputy chairman of the house committee Mikhail Bryachak told the Izvestia, "those who work under national driving licenses will have to take mandatory training, pass the driving test, and receive Russian-issue driving licenses within six months."

Bryachak said the bill might be approved as early as the autumn session.

The State Duma also aims to cut the term of use of transit license plates. Lawmaker from the Liberal Democratic Party Mikhail Degtayrov suggested reducing it to 15 days, increasing the fine for its violation up to 10,000 roubles, and suspending the driving license for three months for reoffending.